Improvement in washing-machines



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Improvement in Washing-Machines. -N0. 131,582 Patented Sep.24,1872.

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improvement in Washing- Machines.

Nb. 131,582. Pate'nted Sep.24,1872.

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L. D. WHEELER.

Improvement in Washing-Machines.

No. 131,582. v Ptented Sep. 24 1312.

Witnesses, 172mm 1-02;

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LORENZO n. WHEELER, or FITOHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 131,582, dated September 24, 1872.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LORENZO 1).VHEELER, of Fitchburg, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Washing-lVIachine; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification- Figure 1 being a transverse vertical section of the washing-machine Fig. 2, a top view of the same without the cover; Fig. 3, a view of the under side of the revolving rubber or agitator.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

This washing-machine is of a kind to which a furnace or fire-box and a boiler are attached for self-heating the water. The furnace A is situated centrally underneath the washing-tub B, and the boiler or waterheating chamber 0 surrounds the furnace at the sides. From the rear end of the furnace a smoke-pipe, a, extends and a door opens into it on the front end, not shown in the drawing. The shape is semi-cylindrical on the lower side, or semicircular in cross-section, with vertical sides extending upward therefrom, so that it has a U- shaped section. The boiler or water-chamber U surrounds the furnace between parallel sides,

as indicated, with a narrow space between, so as to hold comparatively little water and heat it rapidly. On the top of the furnace and boiler is a sheet-metal plate, 0, which forms, also, the bottom of the tub. This, as well as the sides of the furnace and boiler, may be of zinc, gal- Vanized-sheet-iron, copper, or other non-corrosive metal, and the sides of the tub B may be of like material; but in that case I inclose the tub in a wooden box or case, d. From the upper sides or edges of the boiler-space rows of holes ff open up through the bottom of the tub, through which steam and hot water may circulate upward into the tub and cooler water flow back again into the boiler, thereby keeping up a constant circulation of water. The rubber or agitator D has its single bearing in the middle ofthe cover ofthe tub, and is caused to revolve by a crank, E, and pinions g h. It is composed of a horizontal disk or body, 2', from which floats l 1 project downward near to or toward the bottom of the tub. They are arranged in two concentric circles, those in the outer circle being in the angles of a triangle, and those in the inner circle being nearly in line between the outer floats, midway in the sides of the triangle. This arrangement causes an agitation of the clothes like separate wrings, and the inner floats prevent the working of the clothes into the center between the floats and tangling among them. The floats are oval-shaped in cross-section, as shown, the long diameter bein g in radial directions and the thin edges outward. They therefore have a centrifugal action to force the water outward. The tub is preferably square so as to increase the agitation of the water and clothes.

lVhat I claim as my, invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the furnace A, tub B, and boiler (l, constructed and arranged together substantially as herein specified.

2. The rubber or agitator D, when constructed with the oval floats Z 1, arranged in the manner and for the purpose herein specified.

Specification signed by me this 30th day of December, 1871.

LORENZO D. WHEELER.

Witnesses:

D. H. MERRIAM, GEORGE B. FIsKE. 

